.40 gets a bad reputation for its "snappy" recoil. Having first tried it in compact polymer-framed guns, I initially wrote off any ballistic advantages as not worth the unpleasant shooting experience. Getting a chance to try it in some of the full-sized DA/SA guns listed here caused me to do a 180 on .40 S&W.

The weight of the steel guns does exactly what you'd expect it to. The FNX is balanced just well enough to make the cut. The PX4 is remarkably well balanced and changes the recoil distribution slightly with its rotating barrel system. If you want to carry a full-sized forty, the PX4 is my top recommendation by far. (Of course, I recommend installing the low-profile kit for concealed carry.)